Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-12
FRIGHTFUL FATALITY.
Joseph 0'Brien Meets a Shocking
Death at the Water Works.
struck in the Head and Instantly
Killed by Valve Cap
of the The C0roner's
Inquest and Verdict.

| Joseph 0Brien, one of the firemen a
the city waterworks building. met singu
larry sad and shocking death at about
O'Clock last evening
At the time when the accident occurre'
Engineer J. W. Lawhead and Firemel
O'Brien and Brady went TO the cellar o
the water works building to take the hea'
off the discharge portion of the pump
In order to do this it was necessary I,
pry it loose and break the joint. 1t is
not dangerous operation. but there is
likely to be an unusual discharge of water
bathing those undertaking it, The valve
cap is not likely to fly off Unexpectedly
but O'Brien was repeatedly warned by
his companions to keep back, but he die
not heed their warnings. The pump i,
what is called the cold water pump ant
there is always considerable pressure be-
hind it. Lawhead and O'Brien slackenet
the screw of the valve, unloosened the
set screws with wrench and fingers and
then Lawhead, turning to OBrien, who
was inexperienced said. Joe, keep back
and give Andy (meaning Brady The
light Brady took the light at the same
time repeating the injunction, Keep
back from there joe" Lawhead then
pried open the end of the valve with the
chisel aud almost intantly the valve cap
flew off aud struck o Brien in the head.
fracturing the skull and breaking his
neck and killing him instantly.
The men picked O'Brien up, laid him
on the platform and sent for DR. Barth.
who, upon arrival, found life extinct and
the skull and neck fractured.
IL is customary 10 take the valve off
when necessary. and closing the gate, as
was done last night. cuts off the water
force somewhat in the valve cap from
The engine, so that the weight of water
standing on the pump would alone cause
pressure The valve cap weighs about
one hundred pounds, and the head of the
unfortunate man was terribly mutilated
Coroner Halves was Notified of the ac~
cidslt last evening. and summoning John
T. Stafford, DIR. Geo. NJ Barth. John
Condor, W. II. ladders, E NJ Wilcox
and John Mccarthy, held an inquest
The testimony showed the facts exactly
as given in this account, aud the verdict
of the jury was that Joseph O'Brien
''came to his death by the accidental
falling of valve cap on his head about
8 o'clock p. m, Sunday, Sept II, 1887,
causing fracture of the skull and neck,
either one of which would have been suf-
ticlent to cause DEATH and we attach no
blame to anyone"
Mr. O'Brien was a single man, aged
about twenty-seven years. and resided on
Twenty second str eet between Sixth and
Seventh avenues. He had lived in Rock
Island some time and had been employed
at the waterworks two years.
Deceased leaves sister, Mrs James
Behan, with whom he made his home,
and an uncle, Bryne O'Brien, and an
aunt, Mrs. Richard Willis. of South Rock
Island. He was a blacksmith BY trade.
and had, previous to receiving employ
ment at the waterworks, been working at
the Rock Island pillow works.
The funeral will be held at St. Joseph's
church at 10 q. m. tomorrow.
OTHER ACCIDENTS.
David Zeieler fell into cIstera on his
premises at Port Byron yesterday morn
ing, and but for the timely assistance of
DR.. Merriman, who, by the way, is a
mighty useful man to have in town,
Mr.. Zeigler would doubtless have been
drowned
A rumor reached the city to day that
in an accident on the c., r. !. & P. near
Ottumwa last night, Jack" Martell,
formerly of Rapids City and until recent.
ly driver on the Union street railway
line, was killed. Martell was a young
man, unmarried and very well liked,
He lived in Moline for while and had
relatives there.
Yesterday Marshal Brennan received a
dispatch from Chief of Police Ebersold of
Chicago, stating that man named Chas.
johnson, formerly of Rock Island, had
been killed on the Fit. Wayne road there,
and that his body was at the morgue, and
asking the marshal to investigate as to
whether he had relatives in Rock Island.
Marshal Brennan found sister of the
dead man in Mrs. Peterson, living on
Fifth avenue. between Twentieth and
Twenty-tirst streets, and abe left for Chi
cago last evening.
Oscar Schmidt. son of Mr. Henry
Schmidt, met with peculiar accident
yesterday. He and friend were out
horseback riding above Moline, and COM
ing suddenly upon u narrow pass in the
road where vehicle was standing, young
Schm idts horse dashed into the back of
the rig forming the obstruction, and
spring struck the horse in the breast, kill,
ing it. The boy was thrown off and
received some injuries, but nothing seri-
Gus. He and his companion both halls
looed at the driver of the buggy, but he
failed to move and hence the accident.
Another.
The Golden Eagle clothing store,
through its agent IN New York City, has
.I.;o x~a,t ;,,ool rlna,d ,arnt,,t;o,o ,,,:.l